Pixel 3 XL hands-on video confirms battery size and camera specs

Everything we know about what'll likely be one of the year's best phones.

Google first introduced its Pixel series in 2016, and since then, has been hard at work to establish itself as a serious player in the smartphone market. Google may be one of the most powerful and iconic companies in the world, but when it comes to hardware, is still very much a newcomer.

We saw vast improvements with the Pixel 2 compared to the original Pixel line, and we're expecting to get that again with the Pixel 3. Google's quickly learning what it takes to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple, and seeing as how the Pixel 2 was one of 2017's best phones, there's a lot riding on this year's entry.

Ladies and gentlemen, here's everything we know so far about the Google Pixel 3.

The latest Pixel 3 news

August 10, 2018 — Another hands-on video shows the Pixel 3 XL in use while also confirming some specs

The same person that shared those Pixel 3 XL photos and unboxing video from a couple days ago has returned with yet another video that reveals even more about the phone.

In this video, we can see the Pixel 3 XL actually being used. It's running Android 9 Pie (no surprise there) and appears to have the same UI of the Pixel and Pixel 2 running the new software.

A couple benchmarks results are also shown during the video, and as such, a handful of specs have been confirmed. They include:

1440 x 2960 screen resolution

Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor w/ Adreno 630 GPU

3,430 mAh battery

12.2MP rear camera

8.1MP front-facing camera (x3)

The most interesting of those specs are the front-facing cameras. Antutu lists three 8.1MP sensors up front, although in the video we can only see two. This could be nothing more than a glitch in the app, or Google could have implemented some sort of mystery camera up there. We really aren't sure about that one.

Previous renders and real-world pictures have already given us a clear look at the Pixel 3 XL's design, and to help make that image as clear as humanly possible, SlashLeaks recently shared three additional hands-on photos and an unboxing video of the phone.

One of the photos shows the back of the white Pixel 3 XL while the other two showcase the front. We once again see that Google will be sticking with just one rear camera and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and unfortunately, that notch hasn't shrunk at all since the last time we saw it.

Moving over to the unboxing video, it's apparent that Google's using very similar packaging compared to the Pixel 2 and 2 XL. The box does contain a pair of wired USB-C earbuds in addition to the Pixel 3 XL, but seeing as how Google experimented with this idea for last year's release, we aren't entirely sure if the free buds will stick around for the final retail packaging.

When will the Pixel 3 be released?

In 2016 and 2017, Google held its hardware event on October 4. We don't have a concrete date for this year's event quite yet, but there's no reason to believe Google will deter from this pattern.

Another October 4 event isn't out of the question seeing as how that falls on a Thursday this year, but at the very least, we should be looking at some point in early October.

Pre-orders for the Pixel 3 will likely open shortly after it's announced that same day with shipments going out at least a couple of weeks later.

How much will the Pixel 3 cost?

Over the past couple years, pricing for Google's Pixel phones has remained mostly the same. The MSRP for the Pixel and Pixel 2 series is as follows:

Pixel w/ 32GB — $649

Pixel w/ 128GB — $749

Pixel 2 w/ 64GB — $649

Pixel 2 w/ 128GB — $749

Pixel XL w/ 32GB — $769

Pixel XL w/ 128GB — $869

Pixel 2 XL w/ 64GB —$849

Pixel 2 XL w/ 128GB — $949

I imagine we'll see similar numbers with the Pixel 3, but don't be too surprised if we get a Pixel 3 XL variant that crosses the $1000 threshold.